Lucid Motors just unveiled a new EV that starts at $80,000 and can beat a Tesla Model S on paper — check out the Air

Kristen LeeSep 10, 2020, 05:27 IST

Lucid Air.Lucid

The Air is Lucid Motors's first, all-electric sedan that boasts a spacious interior and a long range.
The base Air starts at $80,000, while the range-topping, limited-edition Air Dream Edition starts at $169,000.
The Air will be available starting in spring 2021.

In the world of luxury EVs, the Tesla Model S has largely gone unchallenged — until now. Now, we have the all-new, all-electric Lucid Air, which boasts incredible numbers, sleek looks, and a luxury price tag.

Lucid officially unveiled the Air, the company's very first all-electric offering, on Wednesday. Already, the claimed facts and figures are attractive: It'll run a quarter-mile in a claimed 9.9 seconds in its 1,080-horsepower setup, it can fast-charge and regain 300 miles of range in 20 minutes, and Lucid claims it has the biggest front trunk of any electric car yet.

With prices starting at $80,000 and going all the way up to $169,000 for the limited-production Air Dream Edition, the Air will be available in North America to start. The Air Dream Edition will be the first model available in spring 2021, the mid-range models will come around in mid to late 2021, and the base model will arrive last in 2022.

Keep scrolling to learn more.

The Lucid Air is the very first car offered by California-based Lucid Motors. It's an all-electric sedan.

Lucid Air. Lucid

Lucid says its sedan can achieve a range of 517 miles after independent range verification.

Lucid Air. Lucid

In the optional dual-motor, all-wheel drive configuration, the Air can make a claimed 1,080 horsepower and achieve a 9.9-second quarter-mile time.

Lucid Air. Lucid

Lucid also says the Air will be able to charge at rates of up to 20 miles per minute when plugged into a DC fast-charger.

Lucid Air. Lucid

That can translate to 300 miles of range from 20 minutes of charging, the company says.

Lucid Air. Lucid

The Air has a 0.21 drag coefficient — which makes it more aerodynamic than the Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan.

Lucid Air. Lucid

The Air also has a rear trunk, but it opens as a regular trunk and not as a hatch, Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson told Business Insider.

Lucid Air. Lucid

Rawlinson said that despite hatchback models being more practical, they're not as refined.

Lucid Air. Lucid

There will be at least four versions of the Air available.

Lucid Air. Lucid

In particular, Lucid stresses that the Air's interior is incredibly spacious.

Lucid Air. Lucid

The company says that because its drive components were miniaturized, it was able to make the interior much roomier.

Lucid Air. Lucid

The Air is built on Lucid's Lucid Electric Advanced Platform (LEAP), which has a skateboard design.

Lucid Air. Lucid

The interior is meant to embody West Coast-inspired luxury, Rawlinson told Business Insider.

Lucid Air. Lucid

There's a giant, curved, 34-inch screen for the driver.

Lucid Air. Lucid

And there will be app flow, Lucid's VP of design Derek Jenkins told Business Insider.

Lucid Air. Lucid

That means you can swipe an app from the above screen down to the bigger, center screen below.

Lucid Air. Lucid

At launch, the back seats will be fixed.

Lucid Air. Lucid

But there is an executive seat package coming, which will let the rear seats recline up to 45 degrees.

Lucid Air. Lucid

Judging from these pictures, visibility looks great.

Lucid Air. Lucid

That big pane of roof glass will surely let in lots of light.

Lucid Air. Lucid

This little bear is so you don't forget you're driving something from California.

Lucid Air. Lucid

The Air will also come with DreamDrive, Lucid's advanced driver-assistance system.

Lucid Air. Lucid

Rawlinson said the car is Level 2 autonomous-driving ready. Level 3 capabilities will come with time via over-the-air updates.

Lucid Air. Lucid

Here's a graphic of all the radar and cameras the car has.

Lucid Air. Lucid

The Lucid Air will be available starting in Q2 of 2021.

Lucid Air. Lucid

Rawlinson said the company's flagship studio is located in Newark, California.

Lucid Air. Lucid

But more boutiques are coming. The cars will be sold through a direct-sales model, like Tesla.

Lucid Air. Lucid

The Airs will be built at Lucid's Casa Grande factory in Arizona.

Lucid Air. Lucid

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Lucid Motors just unveiled a new EV that starts at $80,000 and can beat a Tesla Model S on paper — check out the Air

The Lucid Air is the very first car offered by California-based Lucid Motors. It's an all-electric sedan.

Lucid says its sedan can achieve a range of 517 miles after independent range verification.

In the optional dual-motor, all-wheel drive configuration, the Air can make a claimed 1,080 horsepower and achieve a 9.9-second quarter-mile time.

Lucid also says the Air will be able to charge at rates of up to 20 miles per minute when plugged into a DC fast-charger.

That can translate to 300 miles of range from 20 minutes of charging, the company says.

The Air has a 0.21 drag coefficient — which makes it more aerodynamic than the Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan.

The Air also has a rear trunk, but it opens as a regular trunk and not as a hatch, Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson told Business Insider.

Rawlinson said that despite hatchback models being more practical, they're not as refined.

There will be at least four versions of the Air available.

In particular, Lucid stresses that the Air's interior is incredibly spacious.

The company says that because its drive components were miniaturized, it was able to make the interior much roomier.

The Air is built on Lucid's Lucid Electric Advanced Platform (LEAP), which has a skateboard design.

The interior is meant to embody West Coast-inspired luxury, Rawlinson told Business Insider.

There's a giant, curved, 34-inch screen for the driver.

And there will be app flow, Lucid's VP of design Derek Jenkins told Business Insider.

That means you can swipe an app from the above screen down to the bigger, center screen below.

At launch, the back seats will be fixed.

But there is an executive seat package coming, which will let the rear seats recline up to 45 degrees.

Judging from these pictures, visibility looks great.

That big pane of roof glass will surely let in lots of light.

This little bear is so you don't forget you're driving something from California.

The Air will also come with DreamDrive, Lucid's advanced driver-assistance system.

Rawlinson said the car is Level 2 autonomous-driving ready. Level 3 capabilities will come with time via over-the-air updates.

Here's a graphic of all the radar and cameras the car has.

The Lucid Air will be available starting in Q2 of 2021.

Rawlinson said the company's flagship studio is located in Newark, California.

But more boutiques are coming. The cars will be sold through a direct-sales model, like Tesla.

The Airs will be built at Lucid's Casa Grande factory in Arizona.